To learn more about the HAIR+ category, join us at the HAIR+ Summit, Oct. 16-17, 2016, at the Hilton Northeast Atlanta!
Full details and registration here: hairplussummit.com.

People have always been losing hair. So what’s new now that makes HAIR+ important for salons? A number of social, technological and generational trends.

In the past, conversations and solutions focused on function: cover up or replace what was lost, hold on to or pump up the volume on what’s left, etc. Today, hair fashion drives more of the opportunities and advancements:

The younger generation (those under 35) really care about hair—with both men and women likely to spend more disposable income on it. They are also doing more extreme things (vibrant color, frequent or extreme color changes, thermal styling, etc.) that put hair at risk.

Those over 35 years old are beginning to lose hair (men citing heredity and women listing stress, aging and medical issues) at a time when the pressure to look young and relevant is at an all-time high, given influencers such as social media and technology.

More consumers are saying, “Having good hair is an important way I express myself; it is part of my fashion statement.”

Also, the science of hair loss has changed in the past few years. There were always products that people claimed would work, but now we are in an era where more treatments are clinically proven, FDA-approved, etc.

Other advancements/improvements:

  •  High-tech solutions, i.e. lasers as a proven, effective treatment
  •  Access to more and better information about what causes hair loss and how to prevent
  •  Topical hair treatments with DHT blockers
  •  Nutrient/supplements info
  •  Better production and quality of extensions and wigs, and more variety and options—both for hair loss, and also for those clients who like to make frequent, easy changes to their looks with added volume, color or texture
  •  Surgical transplants becoming more sophisticated, less painful/invasive and less expensive, with celebs/athletes like Brian Urlacher in the U.S. and Wayne Rooney in Europe bringing the conversation out of the shadows.
  •  More acceptance of cosmetic changes, including hair enhancement (impact of social media generation, where we share everything
  •  Better resources, options and success stories about helping cancer patients cope with hair loss (i.e. the Cold Cap)

See the full results of the HAIR+ Research study.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.